Would a 30% TCA peel get rid of brown spots on my hands?

Would a tca peel of 30% get rid of brown spots on my hands?

Yes most likely unless the spots are thicker or precancerous lesions (quite common on the backs of the hands). So you are probably thinking, “Why isn’t this done more?” The problems with this strength of peel on the back of the hands are:

 

  • The healing time is long, often 3 weeks and during that time you shouldn’t expose the hands to sunlight, dishwashing, anything that might tear the skin like gardening, even cooking, or many other activities. They look unsightly for that length of time and even after the peeling is finished, may be pink to red for a while. We use our hands so much that it’s difficult to do this. Any tears in the skin or areas where the peel went too deep, can leave scars and/or pigment problems. Learn more about TCA Chemical Peels.

 

  • When you contrast this with the lasers, usually a Q-switched Nd:Yag, IPL or the fractionated lasers like the Fraxel Dual or fractionated CO2 are used, the healing time is faster, you have more use of your hands, and there is less risk of scarring. The downside of lasers is that they are more expensive.

 

Hope this helps, Dr. I

 

Read Dr. Irwin’s article Quick Introduction to Cosmetic Skin Treatments.

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

Ask me your skincare question!

Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
  • This site is not affiliated or financially tied to any product, treatment or device.
Ask Me Something
SkinTour Skincare
One of the best investments in your skin is your daily skincare. Why? Because you can prevent many problems with blotchy skin color, lack of glow, texture, some types of acne, and fine lines with good skincare products. You can also correct some of these problems with effective skincare products. Great skincare is often more expensive because quality ingredients are expensive. Some companies spend on research/development which benefits all of us and adds to the cost. Are they worth it? In general - yes! I have handpicked some of what I consider to be the best skin care products, and offer them for sale on SkinTour's shop. This is based on my team and I's testing and research at our clinic. Many of the products are in my own regimen. What could be better than using skin care products a dermatologist uses?!